Black Panther of Nermia
by Vampwriter
Summary: Ranma shows up in Nermia a bit... different. How will her knew form and attitude change things for our metamorphic friend?


The Black Panther of Nermia

Disclaimer: Even though this is absolutely unnecessary I'm going to do it any way. I own absolutely none of the characters in this story except the OCs that I choose to add for story development. Btw, this may or may not turn out to be an Akane/Ranma pairing. It all depends on what I feel like doing. Either way this is gonna be a shoujo-ai.

Language icons:

"" Regular Japanese

Panda signs

Chinese (or Mandarin if you'd like)

Thoughts

Any other languages

A whole new Ranma

Vampwriter

It was raining in Nermia Ward that day when two figures appeared in town. Both appeared to be animals, one a giant panda, and the other a large black panther that was definitely not native to Japan's shores. To look at them though anyone who saw them might rethink that assessment as their movements were very sure and the direction was thought out. Plus the fact that the panther was talking to the panda and it was responding to it with signs also gave away the fact that they weren't normal.

"This had betterr be worrth it Oyaji," the cat said in a deep, female voice, "Because if this is anotherr of yourr stupid trricks I'm going to have to hurrt you!" she glares at the panda man.

He sweatdrops, although it's hidden by the rain, and holds up another sign. This is absolutely what it looks like, Flip a visit to my old friend Soun Tendo. He flips it again, I haven't seen him in a while and flip would like to get reacquainted.

She didn't exactly believe him, but let it drop for now. They continued on is silence for a while until they reach a gate at the bottom of a hill. Next to it in Kanji it says 'Tendo dojo'. The panther and panda looked at each other before heading up to the door. The panda hesitates for a moment before knocking on the door.

Inside the Tendo family was sitting in the living room. Soun had called a meeting to let his daughters know that they will be having guests soon. His eldest, Kasumi, came in with tea and served her family before sitting down with her own cup.

Soun's middle child, Nabiki, took a sip of tea then spoke. "So what's up father? Why've you called this meeting?"

"Yeah, what's going on?" asked Akane, the youngest Tendo.

"I have called this meeting because soon my old friend Genma is going to be showing up with his child Ranma." He took a drink and was about to say something else when the knock came on the door.

"I'll get it father," Kasumi said. She got up and answered it. The smile on her face became a perplexed one when she saw the two beasts at their doorstep. "Oh my."

The big cat sitting there bowed to Kasumi. "Good evening miss. Is yourr fatherr home?"

The eldest Tendo daughter noted the role of the tongue when she spoke, which in and of itself was weird. She nodded and turned back to her family. "Father, it's for you."

Soun came to the door and his face took on the same perplexed look as Kasumi. Then the panda produced a sign from nowhere that said Hello Soun, my old friend. It's so good to see you!

The panther watched the exchange with a slight grin on her face, which looked quite odd indeed considering that normally cats didn't do that. She cleared her throat getting Soun's attention. "I'm Saotome Rranma, and this is my fatherr Genma. Do you have some hot waterr rready? It would help us to explain."

Soun blinked at Ranma and then looked Genma before remembering something his old master, the pervert, told him about several places of great magic. "You've been to Jusenkyo I see."

So you've heard of it then? Panda-Genma asked.

He gave his old friend a flat look. "Some of us were actually paying attention to the master's lessons." Panda-Genma scratched the side of his head and looked a bit sheepish at that. Soun moved out of the doorway, "Come on in and we'll get you changed."

Panda-Genma and Panther-Ranma came in, noticing that the other two siblings had come to watch. They moved as the two Saotomes enter and follow Soun to the table.

"Kasumi?" Soun called.

"Yes father?"

He smiled at her slightly. "Would you be so kind as to fetch some hot water for our guests?"

"Right away father." She bowed and left.

Panda-Genma and Panther-Ranma waited patiently for the water with Soun and his other two daughters, the later two still somewhat bewildered about the situation. Kasumi came in with the water and set it on the table. Genma picked it up and poured some of it on himself, reverting to his true form. He was about six foot wearing a worn white gee, with a bandana on his head and a pair of slim glasses on his face. He was also somewhat portly. He poured the rest on the panther, changing her into a young girl of maybe sixteen and around 5' 5" with a mane of red hair done up in a ponytail. She wears a read silk Chinese shirt and black pants with Kung fu shoes on her feet.

Ranma-chan stretches out and sighs a bit. "Oh, that feels so much better. I may enjoy being a cat, but there are times I just want to be human again."

The two were served tea before being bombarded by questions from the three Tendo siblings.

"So you're really father's old training partner?" Kasumi asked.

"How did you turn into animals?" Akane inquired.

"What's Jusenkyo?" asked Nabiki.

"Easy there children," Soun chuckled. "I think we should give them a moment to warm their bones. It was rather cold out there tonight." He turned to his friend and his daughter, "Although I, too, would like to know whose bright idea it was to go to those accursed grounds."

Ranma glared at her father, telling Soun all he needed to know. He shook his head, "My friend, you always had a knack for bad judgment."

Genma crossed his arms and looked away with a scornful look on his face and was about to say something when he felt the prick of claws on his leg, letting him know to think carefully about his next statement. "It was all to train that ungrateful daughter of mine in the Art."

Ranma-chan smirked a bit. "And I have to admit that it wasn't all bad. Being turned into a cat really helped me gain to control of the Neko Ken."

Genma stiffened as Soun's eyes widened. Nabiki, Akane and Kasumi were perplexed by their father's surprise.

"What's wrong father?" Nabiki asked him.

Soun took a breath, then let it out slowly. "Genma, please tell me you didn't teach your own child the forbidden Neko Ken."

"I didn't know it was forbidden at the time, and I… sort of didn't read the part about the mental instability." His face turned stern, "Besides, I did it all for the Art!"

"Father?" Akane wondered about what's going on.

He looked at his children, "The Neko Ken has been a forbidden technique for over fifty years because of the apparent mental trauma it causes in its victims. It can either temporarily cause the victim to think they're a cat, or lock them like that permanently." Soun looked over at Ranma, "However you seem to have gained control with your change into a panther."

She nodded, "Yes. Becoming a cat has helped greatly. It was either get a grip or go insane. But, sadly, I also gained many of the temperaments of one. Even in human form I still act a bit like one." Ranma-chan looked around with a slight grin, "Don't worry though, I'm usually pretty even-tempered," she looked over at her father with a feral gleam to her eyes, "unless you piss me off."

Genma responds to her with a glare, "Respect your elders child!"

Ranma picked up her drink with her eyes closed and brought it to her face. A smirk crossed her lips before she drank. "I respect those who deserve it." She drinks, then lowered the cup. "You have yet to earn it back."

Seeing that an argument was about to break out between father and daughter, and probably a little bloodshed on Ranma's part, Soun decided to try and head it off. He turned to Akane. "Akane, would you mind taking Ranma out to the dojo and show her a few of the moves you know? And maybe you can even spar with her."

Akane smiled at the suggestion. "Okay father." She grabbed Ranma's hand and started pulling her up. "Come on, let's go."

"Alright, alright," Ranma chuckled. She got up smoothly and followed along behind Akane to the dogo. She got ahead of the other girl and opened the door for her. Akane smiled and thanked Ranma as she entered, then Ranma followed her in.

Akane took up a position on one side and Ranma-chan stood opposite her in a relaxed ready stance. It took a bit of concentration on her part not to slip into one of the harder stances she had developed for the Neko Ken. The youngest Tendo quirked an eyebrow, How's she expect to win with a stance like that? Oh well, her loss.

She charged at Ranma-chan and threw a punch. The red head dodged the strike easily and threw an open handed thrust of her own. Akane blocked it, although it still pushed her back a couple steps. She flashed out a roundhouse kick and Ranma ducked it. She noted the holes on the raven-haired girl's defense, but chose not to take advantage of them. Instead she back flipped out of the way and took a new stance. Akane charged at her again and she blocked or dodged all of her punches and kicks.

Akane was getting a bit frustrated. Why can't I hit her? No matter how hard I try she blocks them or dodges around them. Beneath the frustration was admiration that there was a girl who was actually better then her. It meant that there was a lot that they could learn from each other. Akane backed off and took a breath to calm down. This was the first opponent she'd had in the last several years that could fight back. The fact that she was fighting a girl made it better. Boys were gross hentais that only wanted to get into her panties.

Ranma-chan stood and once again took up her relaxed position waiting for Akane to make a move. It was against her nature to instigate a fight, even while sparring. Ever since getting the curse she'd been even more careful because with the power of the Neko Ken at her disposal she had to be especially careful with how much power she used against an opponent, otherwise she could seriously hurt someone. Akane charged again and threw a hard right hook, which Ranma ducked and responded with another open palmed thrust to her stomach. It knocked the wind out of her and blew her back onto her backside. Ranma-chan held out her hand and Akane took it, slowly being helped to her feet.

"You all right?" Ranma asked.

Akane nodded as she checked herself, taking a couple breaths. "Yeah, I should be okay." She looked over at her new friend, "Why wouldn't you fight me? No matter how I came at you, you barely threw a punch and dodged everything I would throw at you."

Ranma stared at the other girl with a strange seriousness in her eyes. Akane blinked as she stared into those strange, cat-like eyes. "Akane, the reason I hold back is because of the Neko Ken. I have to be conscious of what I'm doing at all times; otherwise I could do some serious harm. There was a time when I would just fight for the sake of fighting. I was headstrong, impulsive, and would open my mouth and say things without thinking things through first." Her eyes softened, "As you can imagine this caused me a lot of problems. There was this one time especially, I badmouthed this old witch doctor and he cursed me; with what I won't say, but I now believe it was for the better. I like who I am now and won't go back to that person."

The youngest Tendo smiled at her, "If you were everything you said you were then, yes, I think it was for the better that you changed." She motioned to the room, "Come on, lets practice a bit, then hit the furo."

Ranma smiled back at her and nodded. "Right." She motioned next to her, "Come on, I'll show you a few things."

Akane nodded back and took the position indicated next to her new friend.

"Oh, by the way," Ranma said.

Akane turned to her.

"We should also work on your defense. I noticed some holes in it that you need work on closing up."

The heir of the Tendo School looked somewhat confused at what she said, but decided to take her word for it. So Ranma-chan began Akane's new instruction to become better then ever.

End of chapter one. There's another story about Ranma as a panther, but I haven't written it yet. Please let me know if I did well and if there's anything I need to work on. Positive feedback is greatly appreciated. Flames will be used to torch Kuno.

Kuno: How could you do that to one such as the great Tatawaki Kuno!

Vamp: Aw, shove it, ya dork! (Clobbers Kuno with a table)


End file.
